Myrrh: medical marvel or myth of the Magi?

Nomicos EY
Holistic Nursing Practice, 2007


ABSTRACT:

Since antiquity, the genus Commiphora is composed of more than 200 species, and has been exploited as a natural drug to treat pain, skin infections, inflammatory conditions, diarrhea, and periodontal diseases. In more recent history, products derived fromCommiphora myrrha and various other species of Commiphora are becoming recognized to possess significant antiseptic, anesthetic, and antitumor properties. Traditional practice and evidence-based research have supported that these properties are directly attributable to terpenoids (especially furanosesquiterpenes), the active compounds present in myrrh essential oil. More recently, current studies have focused on applying clinical trial methodologies to validate its use as an antineoplastic, an antiparasitic agent, and as an adjunct in healing wounds.

CITATION:

Nomicos EY. Myrrh: medical marvel or myth of the Magi? Holist Nurs Pract. 2007;21(6):308-323.


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